Pineapples and Peaches: A RenjiXYachiru fanfiction
by KeiichiKiwi
Summary: When Aizen commences another plan to destroy the Soul Society, its members are forced to choose sides. Unlikely enemies and friendships are born as it soon becomes a struggle for power between good and evil, forming a strange love along the way...
1. Chapter 1

Yachiru slowly approached a tall, wilting tree shaped with a dark crystal. The Hueco Mundo was cold and barren, the only sound coming from Yachiru's footsteps in the purely white sand. She rested beneath the tree, staring at the rainless clouds, awaiting a rift in space that would return her to the Soul Society. How she came upon the realm of hollows, she could not remember, no matter how much she tried. Suddenly, she heard a noise among the landscape surrounding her. She jumped up and prepared to fight, but saw nothing in any direction. She heard a loud thud and turned to face where she believed it was coming from, but still saw nothing. She remained still, listening through the silence for another trace of noise. It was then broken as a scream escaped her throat, a hollow latched onto her from behind. Unable to move, she watched in horror as more hollows appeared, all surrounding her until the even the eternal veil of night was consumed by their shadows. Then, as quickly as it came, a flash of light shot through the air with a loud crack, and the hollows were gone. Yachiru fell to the ground, still terrified, as the light approached her. She looked up to see a figure outlined there, hand outstretched. She began to reach for it just as a hollow reappeared and ran toward her. A few mere feet from her, it pounced toward her and the figure she had not yet reached…


	2. Chapter 2

Yachiru jerked upward in bed, sweat pouring down her pale flesh as she breathed heavily. "Nothing…But a dream…" She lied back down, her pink hair covering her closed lids while she tried to repress the memories of the hollows. Her pale complexion flowed gently beneath a shirt of pure white and shorts of a deep blue. She couldn't help but wonder who that mysterious figure was. It was definitely male, but much too small to be her captain, though he was muscular in some fashion. She opened her eyes slowly, staring into the dark abyss of her room listening to the soft footsteps and mumbles in the hallway. A sliver of light entered as the door creaked open slightly and the familiar voice of Momo reached her ear. "Oh, you are awake. Good morning, Yachiru. Did you sleep well?"

She described the dream to her friend, though Momo seemed to think nothing of it. "It is fairly strange, but nothing to cause great concern, Yachiru. I'm sure your mind was just wandering again." Although Yachiru nodded and dropped the story, she was still not convinced that her dream was just something that had occurred from her mind alone. After draping herself in her robes of black and white, she wandered outside onto the rocky terrain of the land they temporarily called home. Zaraki and Hitsugaya were walking back toward the building, casually talking about the strangeness of the human world. Yachiru waved frantically and ran up to them. "Ken-chan! Shiro-Shiro! Good morning!" Zaraki grinned and placed his hand on her head. "Good morning, Yachiru." He turned to face Hitsugaya, removing his hand. "I'm going to consult with Byakuya on the matter. He'll know what's best in that situation." With that, he walked into the building, and Yachiru turned to face Hitsugaya. "Ummm…Shiro-Shiro…Can I talk to you?" He cringed slightly at his nickname before returning to his usual composure. "Of course Yachiru. Here, sit." He motioned toward a rock across from the one he had sat on a moment prior. Yachiru stared into his crystal-blue eyes. She had always been remotely attracted to him and wanted to find out if he was the figure she had seen in her dream. However, she was overwhelmed with disappointment after she explained the story to him. "That is interesting. Maybe it was Ichigo? He is partly a hollow. It would make sense." When she realized he was right, she gave up on the dream entirely. Maybe it was just her enthusiastic imagination again. Yet, it was very rare for her to dream of Ichigo.

As she stared off into the sky, Zaraki approached them once again. "Hitsugaya, Byakuya is not pleased with the recent events. He wants to speak to us, but says we shouldn't tell anyone else about it so we keep them from worrying. At least for now. I'll meet you in there." He walked off, and Hitsugaya stood. Yachiru also stood, facing him. "Shiro-Shiro, what's going on?" He looked at her and cringed slightly. "The hollows have somehow been creating rifts throughout space that disable our zanpakuto and trap us in their world. It's already happened to three members of the society. But don't worry. I'm sure Byakuya has a plan." Yachiru stood in silence while Hitsugaya walked into the building.

"I guess the shrimp doesn't understand when Captain Byakuya says not to tell anyone." Yachiru turned around and saw Ichigo and Renji standing behind her. "He's not a shrimp!" "Oh, don't bother defending him Yachiru. He's in love with Momo, anyway." Renji's words cut through her, even though she had known it for a while. Ichigo elbowed him and mumbled something about him being an insensitive jerk, but Yachiru wasn't really paying close attention. Ichigo placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Don't worry about him, Yachiru. You know he's always had disagreements with Hitsugaya. C'mon, let's get outta here and go do something worthwhile. It'll clear your head." He stared at Renji. "Are you coming with us?" Renji mumbled, but reluctantly followed Ichigo and Yachiru into the mountainous horizon.

The trio came upon a cliff where they sat to rest and talk before continuing their escape from the rest of the society. Ichigo lied on his back, outstretched beneath the hot sun, while Renji sarcastically replied to almost all of his comments. Although Yachiru talked and laughed with the others, her mind was focused on Ichigo. Why would she dream of him? Something didn't connect in her mind.

Ichigo suddenly bolted upward. The other two became immediately silent, not knowing what had occurred to him. Then they heard it. A low growl that could easily be mistaken for the wind was reaching them. Renji and Ichigo jumped up, swords drawn, and looked around to find the source. Renji looked upward above Ichigo's head and pointed. "There!" Ichigo and Yachiru also turned to face it. A small black line formed in the sky. Slowly, it began to open up, nothing but a vortex of darkness within it. Ichigo mumbled more to himself than to anyone else, "This is what the others were talking about. Yachiru, Renji, stay away from it!" But before she could move, Yachiru felt something close around her arm. Her eyes met the gaze of a hollow, which was tightly gripping her. After that, the only thing she remembered was Ichigo and Renji running after her and her body getting light and numb before fading to black.


	3. Chapter 3

She woke up confused and dizzy. Her body was slightly sunk into the white sand that seemed very familiar to her. She got up slowly and looked around, realizing with a slightly terrifying thought that she was in the Hueco Mundo, the surface layer residency of the hollows. She was still very light-headed and dizzy, but she didn't want to remain in the open. She began walking toward a tall tree off to the side. It could barely been seen under the moonlight, but she knew its crystallized shape well. Just as she was about to sit beneath the tree and rest, she heard a faint noise. She jumped back up and awaited whatever had made it, but saw nothing. She then heard a loud thud, but the desert of night was still empty except for her. She stood puzzled and terrified, her feet sinking into the sand. Then, she felt something latch onto her from behind, and her scream finally broke the deafening silence. She was unable to move, both out of fear and restraint, as more hollows appeared and surrounded her. Suddenly, a light exploded in the air after a loud cracking sound, and the hollows had disappeared. Yachiru fell onto her knees, looking up while the light came toward her. Her vision was blurry, but she could see the outline of someone standing there, reaching out toward her. She slowly lifted her arm, despite the lack of strength in it, and tried to reach the figure's hand. Without warning, a hollow appeared behind her and began running toward them. Just as it pounced, she reached the figure's hand and he pulled her close to him, destroying the hollow with his sword.

She felt the warmth of his body as she rested in his arm. Though she couldn't see exactly what was going on, she knew enough that more hollows had appeared, but her rescuer destroyed them all, still holding her tightly to his side. As he fought, she looked up at him, trying to concentrate enough to identify him.

He had a strong, determined face that was washed with sweat while he fought. His eyes were focused only on what he was slaying, though his red hair slightly covered them. Yachiru suddenly became aware of what was happening. "Ren…ji…" He looked down at her for the first time, then jumped closer toward the tree, barely missing a hollow's attack. He set her down, her back resting against the tree, and jumped back toward the hollows to distract them from attacking her. She wasn't sure why Renji would save her, especially when he had only ever been abusive to her before. But she was somehow calm while she watched him fight, her dizziness slowly wearing off and her sight returning.

The hollows seemed endless. But regardless, Renji kept fighting, though Yachiru could tell that his energy was running low. Eventually, all was calm, and Renji fell onto one of his knees. Even though they constantly argued, she wanted to get up and thank him for saving her life. But as she did, another hollow appeared and jumped toward her.

In that second, she heard a loud scream. She looked forward and saw the hollow latched onto Renji's side with its teeth. Renji stabbed his sword through the hollow, destroying it. He fell to the ground, his breathing heavy.

"Renji!" Yachiru knelt beside him, rolling him onto his back carefully. His voice was low and broken, exhaustion and pain running through his body. "Don't worry about me. You gotta get out of here." He slowly reached over and handed her a small stone. "It only has enough energy to get one of us out. And I didn't come in here and deal with so many hollows for you to stay trapped in this stupid place." Yachiru looked at him, shocked. "Why would you come to save me anyway?" "The source of all this mess is in this realm. And everyone else was too much of a pansy to do it. So I came. And I'm glad I did before you became hollow fodder."

Yachiru stared into Renji's blank eyes. She didn't really understand why he was there or what his actual motives were. But she did know that she didn't want to leave him there in pain.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm not leaving you, Renji." Renji flinched as he shifted his weight. "You have to Yachiru. You have to get out of here before more hollows come back." Her brain knew he was right. Although Renji managed to fight them off, there would be no way she could. But something told her to stay. "Then I'll leave if any more show up. But I won't leave you here alone." Renji answered her with a plea, "Promise me that. That you won't stay if you're in danger." Yachiru nodded, shocked by his concern. She put the stone back in his hand, but he pushed it back into hers. "Keep it. In case anything happens." She took it hesitantly and looked at the wound on his side. "Renji…We will get out of here, right?" He lifted himself from the ground slowly and smiled at Yachiru for the first time since she had known him. "Of course we will. I'm too much of a jackass to let us die."

Yachiru couldn't help but smile back at him. She placed her shoulders under his side to help him get back up. She could tell that Renji was trying not to put too much weight on her. "Renji, let me help you. I'm not that useless…Where are we going anyway?" Renji refused to let his gaze meet hers as he spoke. "Where else? Las Noches. None of us have ever been able to reach it. We're afraid we have to in order to recover our members and stop any more from being taken."

They continued walking until the large palace came into view. Yachiru looked up at Renji. "What do you think they're doing with them?" "It's hard to say. Probably trying to change them into Hollows to use them against us." "Renji…Who exactly was taken?" Renji stared off toward the palace. "Since the beginning…Rukia, Soifon, and Urahara. Uryuu was recently attacked but managed to escape. We're not quite sure how. He hasn't been himself since then though. We figure he must have seen something to get him this way, but he won't say anything about it."

Yachiru remained silent as they kept walking. The palace was still just as far in the view, though they had been traveling for what seemed to be hours. The sand crunched beneath their feet, making it difficult for Renji to keep his footing. Suddenly, he stopped. "Yachiru, hand me that stone." Yachiru reached into her pocket and pulled out the stone. It was unusually cool in her hand as it smoothly fell into Renji's. Almost instantly, a swarm of hollows appeared and surrounded them. Renji jumped away from Yachiru and mumbled something into his hand. The hollows crouched to attack as the stone left Renji's hand, thrown toward Yachiru. Her body became warm and limp as a light blue glow surrounded her, and her last image of that place was Renji, standing in the center of the hollows as they leaped toward him with gaping jaws.


	5. Chapter 5

"Yachiru? Yachiru can you hear me?" Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of muffled voices around her. As they came into focus, she could see several of the soul society members, concern carved into their faces. She sat up slowly and looked around. The small stone lay shattered beside her by the knees of Momo, who was kneeling gracefully. "Yachiru, what happened? Where's Renji?" Yachiru tried to regain her speech. "I…Don't know. We were surrounded by hollows and he threw the stone at me…" Uryuu emerged from the crowd. "He must have released the stone's energy to free you from any possible harm that may have been dealt in the Hueco Mundo." Yachiru's voice became panicked. "No, he was hurt! The hollows were getting ready to attack...We can't leave him there alone!"

"Yachiru, I'm afraid we don't have enough resources to send a group in after him. And you understand that sending just one of us would be certain death." Byakuya knelt beside her and examined her for wounds. "So we're just going to let him die?!" Momo lightly touched her head. "We consulted Uryuu and each other on it. It's too dangerous." Yachiru looked down at the shattered stone. "But…He saved me…" Byakuya stood. "And for that we are grateful to him. But it's been very rough on you, Yachiru. And I highly advise that you now get some rest while the rest of us attempt to find a solution. Momo, I ask that you tend to Yachiru while she recovers. Give her peace unless she requests otherwise. But see to it that her needs are met. She may have valuable information once her strength has fully returned." Momo nodded and helped Yachiru up. The two of them reached Yachiru's room, where she climbed into bed. Momo stood in the doorway. "Let me know if you need anything, alright?" She smiled and walked away as Yachiru nodded. She closed her eyes. Her mind flooded with thoughts of Renji. She wondered what was happening to him…Or if the worst had already happened.

She became fully conscious again at a small noise that sounded something like wind. She opened her eyes, but saw nothing out of place in the room. She sat up and looked around her. She saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head, just in time to see a dark hollow moving toward her. She began to let out a scream before the hollow reached her and slid its claws over her mouth. She felt her body becoming weaker as the room around her started going black. She looked to her side and saw a dark figure standing in the corner, watching the creature's every move.


	6. Chapter 6

A sudden burst of cool air woke her up. She jolted her eyes open and moved slightly, her fingers touching the glass that surrounded her. She looked around and noticed that she was in some sort of a giant crystal, incapable of escaping. The room around the crystal looked damp and dark. The walls were lit only by torches. Empty crystals lined these walls with the exception of one section. She looked closely at them as her eyes opened wider. Rukia, Soifon, and Urahara slept peacefully in the crystals. Yachiru called out to them and banged on the glass, but they did not budge, and her cage remained strong.

Water dripped from the weak points of the ceiling onto the cobblestone floor. She followed the droplets with her eyes as the formed a small stream leading to one tiny vent where they escaped. Several of these streams molded to one large one. A large one tinted red. Her eyes traced the tainted stream until she gasped, horrified by the sight.

Renji lied weakly on the floor, blood draining from his body forming the veins of red leading to the vent. He was pale and motionless, and Yachiru could not tell if he was breathing or not. She heard footsteps through the glass and quickly pretended to sleep like the others. A very familiar voice echoed as she barely opened one of her eyes.

Aizen stood above Renji, the usual smirk on his face. "Pity you're so close to dying. I could have used you." Aizen kicked Renji's body several inches away, through Renji remained limp without emotion. Aizen chuckled slightly. "Pathetic. Though I do commend you on your efforts to get into my stronghold. Too bad it will be where you take your last breath." Aizen lifted Renji by the top of his uniform and slammed him into the wall. Renji's eyes remained closed, not even a twitch throughout his entirety. "You were a fool. Yet a good warning to the rest of your people. To think…You were once strong. I suppose emotions will kill even the most useful of sorts." A grin came across his face. "And now you're too weak to even answer me. I should destroy you now and end your misery…But I'm not that generous." Aizen threw him to the ground beneath Rukia's crystal. "Instead, you can die beneath your girlfriend. The way you would have liked it." The grin became a small smirk as Aizen walked up the staircase and a large stone door slid closed behind him.

Yachiru fought back tears. She had never known a man to be as cruel as Aizen was to the one who had saved her. She wondered how much longer he would have to suffer. She watched as his robes became stained with the pool of his own blood he was laying in. His once bright and arrogant face still lied without a thought or emotion upon it. She wondered if he could think or feel at all. Then her mind began to wander to other things.

Why was she the only one awake? She looked back at the others as they slept unaware of what was before them. She felt herself becoming very tired, though she tried to fight it. Her eyes closed against her will, and her consciousness began to fade.

Until she heard glass break and warmth surrounded her body.

She opened her eyes and looked up into Renji's cringing face. "Renji! How are you…?" "Stay quiet." His voice was as weak as his body appeared. It was pained and bruised, as was his flesh. "They can still hear you." Yachiru whispered, "Renji…You're hurt…" "It's nothing major. Just a few scratches. How did you get here?" "I'm not sure…There was a hollow. It didn't hurt me…But that's all I can remember. And then I woke up in the glass…" Renji set her down. She stood beside him as he knelt, a stream of blood dripping down his face. "Listen. You need to get out of here. I don't know what he wants with you, but once he finds out you're not under his control, he's going to make it his goal to get you back." Renji stood and tried opening the stone door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Renji, I won't leave you again. It's my fault you're here in the first place." He looked back at her. "I could have let you die." Yachiru fell silent. Those words were cold on her, like blades in her flesh. "But I didn't. I came by my own choice. Not yours." She breathed slightly. "I…" She knew he was right. And suddenly the cold man before her became much more than that. His body was shredded and his blood spilled for the sake of hers. She watched him struggle with the door before moving on and looking for another way to free her. "Are you just going to stand there spaced out, or are you actually going to help me?" Yachiru looked down at the small vent. "What about there? I'm small enough to fit through." Renji looked at the vent. "Good." He broke the bars off, light pouring down into the passageway beneath. "Go. Now. Don't worry about me, I'll find a way out. But I have to get the others out first." Yachiru hesitated for a moment before climbing down into the passageway. She waited a moment. "Renji?" He looked at her through the small opening. "What?" "Rukia…"

"She's not my girlfriend."


	7. Chapter 7

He put the bars back into place, silencing the area and making it much darker. Yachiru crawled through the small space, her knees and hands moist from the water beneath her. Soon, she saw an opening.

She peered out from her tiny escape route into a dark area with many other streams falling into one large river. She lowered herself onto the platform beside it. It was cool, and the surrounding area smelled of something rotten, though the water was clear. She shivered slightly from the dampness and began walking, though she wasn't sure where she was going. Eventually, she came to a small opening like the one she had crawled out from. She faintly heard voices from the other end. Curious, she crawled into it.

Aizen's voice became more distinct as she neared the small light on the other side. "Escaped? Perhaps my judgment was faulty. Find him. And when you do, make sure he dies." Yachiru peered through the bars as the door closed to the room Aizen was in. "Well, Renji. It seems you've fooled me long enough for the sake of the others…But I will make sure you remain here long enough for me to see your soul leave your eyes…" He stood up and left the room.

Yachiru pushed the bars out and lowered herself into the room. She looked around. The desk that Aizen was sitting at held the weight of a computer and several stacks of notes and diagrams. The walls were bare with the exception of the occasional model structure and a single map. Yachiru approached the map and saw that it displayed people, rather than places. Someone had diagramed the entire Soul Society, including former members. Some of the members, including Yachiru, had an "X" over them. Renji, like the past members, had red ink smudged over him. And Uryuu was circled. Suddenly, the door clicked as the knob turned. Yachiru hunted for a place to hide, but knew there was no where she could reach in time.

The door cracked open, and Soifon's head entered the room, followed by the rest of her body. The door closed behind her. "Yachiru, what are you doing here? You need to get out…" Yachiru was relieved to see her. "They're after Renji!" "I know. He's meeting us here with the others. They should be here soon." As she spoke, the door opened again, and Rukia, Urahara, and Renji entered. Renji looked down at her. "Yachiru…I was hoping you would be out of here by now. I guess they made that a bit difficult though." Rukia placed her hand on his shoulder. "We have to find a way out of here."

Suddenly, a black void appeared before them. Renji drew his sword and stepped in front of Yachiru. Ichigo stepped out from the void, followed by Byakuya and Rangiku. Ichigo held his hand out to Rukia. "Come on, this only stays open for so long." Rukia took his hand, and the two disappeared back into the void. Rangiku followed, then Urahara and Soifon. Byakuya motioned for Yachiru and Renji to enter as he stepped in behind them.

Yachiru grabbed onto Renji's sleeve as they reappeared back outside of the Hueco Mundo. The members of the Soul Society surrounded them. Yoruichi led Soifon off so she could be treated, while Mayuri tended to Soifon. Momo put her hand on Yachiru's shoulder to lead her back to her room. Byakuya began leading Rukia off before looking back at Renji. "Ichigo, tend to Renji's wounds. I expect a report from you shortly." Ichigo flinched slightly at the sight of Renji. He lifted Renji's arm over his shoulders, but Renji snapped it back. "I can walk, thanks." Momo shook her head as Renji limped toward his room with Ichigo at his side.

Yachiru looked up at her. "Momo, can you meet me in my room? I'll be there soon. I want to go check on Ren-kun." "Ren…kun…? Umm…Sure Yachiru. Be careful, though." Momo walked off in the opposite direction while Yachiru began walking to Renji's room.


	8. Chapter 8

"Stay still dammit!" "You try not squirming, you ass!" Yachiru peered around the corner at the two of them. Ichigo was leaning over Renji's half-stripped body while Renji writhed and groaned in pain. Yachiru's face turned pale, and she darted away before she could see the medicine bottle in Ichigo's hand.

She burst into her room, causing Momo to give her a strange look. "Yachiru, are you alright?" "Fine. Yes. Good. Momo, are Renji and Ichigo…?" "Brothers? Everyone thinks that. Ichigo likes to pretend their cousins, but it's not true." "That's not what I…Never mind…" Momo gave her another puzzled look as she motioned Yachiru to her bed. "Relax. I think it's been a really hard day for you…How is Renji?" "Fine. He's fine. He's…Getting treated." "That's good. Did you get hurt at all?" Momo examined her body for wounds, but Yachiru didn't have a scratch on her. "You look ok, but I'm going to stay in here with you this time just in case. Yachiru, when you were gone, did you see Uryuu?" "Uryuu? No. Why?" Momo covered Yachiru with a blanket before sitting in the chair opposite her bed. "While you were gone, he disappeared. They must have come back for him. This time they succeeded…Do you know what they've been using our people for?" "I'm not sure…We were in crystals. I was about to fall asleep like the others until Renji came…" Momo stared at her for a moment, obviously contemplating what was just said. "Get some sleep, Yachiru. I'll be here if you need me." Yachiru nodded and closed her eyes, more exhausted than she thought she was. She snuggled down into the pillow and fell asleep peacefully.

A familiar voice woke her up. She opened her eyes, now drenched in nightfall. A small lamp illuminated her room. Momo and Ichigo were standing in the doorway. "How is she?" "She's been sleeping since they returned. Renji?" "The same. It looks like they beat the hell out of him." "Soifon said that Aizen is behind this. It's no surprise. But none of them found Uryuu." Yachiru sat up as Ichigo and Momo looked at her. Ichigo spoke softly to Momo. "I have to report everything to Byakuya. You should come with me in case he has any questions. Yachiru, will you be alright by yourself?" Yachiru nodded, and the others closed the door behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

Yachiru stood up, changed into her robes, and walked out of her room. The grounds were dark now, lit only by a few lanterns and the moon. She walked down the hallway to Renji's room, dimly lit by a single lamp. She slid the door open and walked in, kneeling beside him as he slept. His eyes blinked open slowly and looked up at her. His voice was soft. "How are you feeling?" "I'm ok. I wanted to thank you…"

"I didn't do anything." He shifted his weight, a look of pain on his face. The blanket moved slightly, revealing his blood-stained bare chest. Yachiru blushed slightly. "Ken-chan would have been mad if I would've gotten hurt. You made sure I didn't." Renji shrugged, seeming to disagree with her. She could tell that he was too exhausted and in too much pain to argue, something very unusual for Renji. She let out a small sigh. "Whether you see why or not, thank you Ren-kun." She lightly kissed his cheek.

His face was warm beneath her small lips. When she sat back up, Renji's face was a shade similar to his hair. She smiled. "Do you mind if I keep you company?" Renji cleared his throat, trying to divert attention from his face. "N-No…" Yachiru sat beside him. "Ren-kun, is Rukia not your girlfriend because you're with Icchi?" Renji jerked upward. "What?!" He groaned in pain and lowered himself back down onto his pillow. Yachiru looked into his eyes. "I saw you two earlier and…" "He was putting that damn medicine on my cuts." Yachiru looked down at the now-fully-exposed upper half of his body. Its usual tattoos were now crossed with deep gashes. "Oh…So you're not…" "No, Yachiru. Rukia's not my girlfriend because I don't want her to be. She's better off with pumpkin-head anyway." Yachiru stayed silent for a few moments. "You will get better, won't you Ren-Kun?" Renji nodded and yawned. He closed his eyes and soon fell asleep once again.

Yachiru stayed quiet, not wanting to disturb him. Her eyelids became very heavy. She curled herself into a small ball and snuggled beneath Renji's arm trying to stay warm. She yawned quietly, partially stuffing her fist into her mouth to not make a sound. Her eyes closed, and she slept quietly beside him until morning.


	10. Chapter 10

Sunlight flickered on her face as she slowly opened her eyes. She forgot for a moment where she was until remembering falling asleep beside Renji, but his warmth was now gone and replaced with that of his soft blanket. She looked up as he walked into the room. The top half of his uniform was down at his waist, bandages wrapped around his chest. Yachiru blushed and directed her attention to Ichigo, who was sleeping in a chair across the room. Renji's voice was stronger than it had been the previous day. "Did you sleep well Yachiru?" She nodded and sat up. He seemed to be walking better, though occasionally he still carried a slight limp. "The others are alright, too. Byakuya is questioning all of them trying to get as much information as possible out of them. It seems like Aizen was copying the memories of everyone he held captive. I'm not really sure what he wants them for, but I'm afraid we'll all find out soon. Regardless, it seems like he only wanted the people that had some kind of information about the hollows or their home. I guess he saw you all as a threat. Makes sense that he took Uryuu then." Yachiru nodded in understanding. "Is Orihime ok?" "She's managing." Yachiru looked down. She remembered a time when she would have been devastated if something happened to Toushiro. Though now, it didn't seem to faze her as much.

Ichigo moved slightly in his sleep and fell out of the chair, waking up quickly and rubbing the back of his head. "Good morning, Icchi." Ichigo waved toward Yachiru and grabbed the blanket, covering himself and falling asleep again. His snores clearly disturbed Renji. He slid his robes over his shoulders so he was fully covered again. "Come on, Yachiru. Let's get out of here before Byakuya decides to make you his next test subject."

Yachiru stood up and followed Renji out of the room. The two walked until they reached the cliff where Yachiru had been taken from this world the first time. Yachiru sat on a rock opposite the one where Renji took a seat. "Ren-kun, why did you save me?" "I told you. The others were too worried about breaking a nail to come get you." "But you didn't have to give me the stone…" "I wanted to. You deserved to live." Yachiru blushed. She stared at the valley beneath the cliff where the massive river ran through. It reminded her of the river in Las Noches. She wondered where the tinier streams were that connected to it.

Renji stood up, his face panicked. "Yachiru!" Yachiru turned around and looked back. A dark cloud rested over their home. "This must be Aizen…We have to go back to help the others!" Renji began running toward it, but his limp took over. Yachiru approached him. "Ren-kun, get on my back." Renji gave her a strange look before obeying her. She lifted him and sprinted off toward the darkness, surprising Renji with her strength and speed.


	11. Chapter 11

When they got back, hollows stormed the area. Yachiru put Renji down as he drew his sword. They ran through the hallways, slicing through the hollows before them, until they reached the door to the tower. A large man with orange eyebrows stood guarding the door. A skull's jaw rested below his own, and the number "10" was tattooed on his shoulder. The red markings under his eyes moved when a grin spread across his face. His voice was deep and powerful, as his body appeared. "I see Master Aizen missed some. But you don't look like you'd be of much use to him anyway. Perhaps I should just dispose of you." Renji stepped forward.

"Stand aside, Yammy." The Arrancar laughed. "Oh, so you've heard of me." Yammy's fist began glowing a deep red. Renji pointed his sword toward the Espada's chest. "I don't have time for you." The door opened behind Yammy, and Aizen stepped through. The same smirk spread across his face. "Just who I was looking for…Come, Renji. See what your errors have done." The grin on Yammy's face instantly became a look of disappointment and disgust as Aizen led Renji and Yachiru up the stairs of the tower. At the top, a large void awaited them. Dozens of hollows danced beneath it, howling as the members of the Soul Society were sent into the void, each of them knocked out and tied together with ropes of spirit energy. Renji stared on in horror as Aizen chuckled. "Your brilliant escape led us here faster. Thanks to some assistance from a dear friend, of course." Aizen looked to one side. Standing there calmly was a man draped in Arrancar clothing. Half of his face was covered by remnant s of a hollow mask. It took Renji a moment to recognize the man without his glasses. "Uryuu!"

Uryuu looked over at him, remaining silent. Aizen spoke instead. "He chose to spare himself. You see, instead of us taking him the first time, he made a deal with us. And he works for me now." Renji pointed the tip of his blade at Aizen. "You're in no position to be threatening me. Yammy, see to it that the two of them do not leave here alive." Aizen stepped into the void, followed by Uryuu. Renji attempted to follow, but Yammy stepped in his path. "You won't get to kill my fun a second time, nihongo." Yammy grinned. His fist began glowing again as he stared at Yachiru out of the corner of his eye.

"You should stop doing that. Ken-chan and Ren-kun will be very angry if you hurt me." Yammy laughed. "You should've stayed home and played with your dolls, small fry." Yachiru was deeply offended and became furious. Renji stepped back as her spirit energy enhanced, a large, pink cat face appearing in front of her. She rushed in front of Yammy, jumped up, and punched him in the face, sending him flying back a few feet into the upper wall of the tower. "Hmph." Renji blinked, his jaws open, as he watched Yachiru. He closed his mouth and walked toward Yammy's unconscious body, Yachiru proudly at his side.


End file.
